Naples officials push for changes to water flow requirements in state fire code

David Albers/Staff
- Firefighters work the scene of a fire in the apartments between 1840 and 1860 Bald Eagle Drive in the Naples Bath and Tennis Club on Saturday, May 12, 2012, in Naples.

Naples city officials are pushing for an amendment to the state's rules governing the amount of water required to combat fires.

With its aging infrastructure, Naples can't meet current standards. Being out of compliance could mean an increase in fire insurance rates for city residents.

After a meeting with state officials in Daytona Beach last week, Naples Fire Chief Steve McInerny said he's hopeful a change could happen that would benefit the city, which could otherwise face costly infrastructure upgrades.

McInerny also met with officials last week from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), a national organization that rates fire districts on their abilities to fight fires.

"We'll see how it plays out," he said. "The fire marshal certainly understands our dilemma."

The state fire marshal will visit Naples Feb. 22 for a public meeting to discuss a rule change that would favor the city.

Fire flow, the amount of water available to fight fires, used to be a recommendation in the state's Fire Prevention Code. But when the 2010 code went into effect Dec. 31 2011, fire flow became a requirement — one Naples didn't meet when it came to new homes of more than 5,000 square feet.

City officials have delayed coming into compliance, continuing instead to build dozens of new homes that don't meet code.

The code states that new homes of 5,000 square feet or less must have access to water that flows at 1,000 gallons per minute for one hour. Larger homes must meet requirements on a sliding scale for different gallon and duration requirements.

McInerny said Naples and other coastal Florida cities are facing the same problem of upgrading dead-end mains on isles. In addition, Naples is building some of the biggest homes in the state, McInerny said, often in excess of 7,000 square feet.

"There are other cities in the same predicament, it's just that Naples is being more aggressive and has more of a voice," McInerny said.

Naples does not qualify for the rural town exception in the code, City Manager Bill Moss said. Some officials have insisted Naples does qualify for the exception, but Moss said it does not have a clear definition.

To meet the new standards, the city could do a combination of the following: make costly improvements to its infrastructure, purchase a $250,000 fire boat to combat waterfront fires, and require that builders outfit new homes with fire-resistant building materials or fire sprinkler systems.

The city is rated a 2 by the national Insurance Services Office (ISO), but could drop on the 1-to-10 scale with 10 being the worst. A November visit by ISO predicted a rating of 3. A drop on the scale could affect what residents pay in fire insurance.

McInerny said he is confident the city can maintains its 2 rating by following a list of recommendations from the ISO in the coming months.